Applying Mary moves....

   These last few days I have been thinking about Mary, the mother of Jesus. She was a young girl chosen by God to be the biological mother of Jesus. Why her? What qualities set her apart from the other Jewish women of her generation?

After a bit of studying I came up with the following list of Mary traits.

1. She wasn't afraid to ask questions. When the angel came to her and told her that she was chosen to be the birth mother of the Messiah, the Bible says she wondered at the greeting and message of the angel. And then she asked this question in Luke chapter one "³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”  Wow. She questioned God's purpose for her life. Knowing the Mother of the Savior questioned her calling lets me know questions are normal. It's okay to occastionally question your calling, your divine purpose, or your dream. Questions are good, they allow you evaluate your life and find out if you are still on the correct path.
2. She was willing to be used. Wow. This one is huge! Mary was willing to be used by God. Luke chapter one  "³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her."  I find it interesting that this verse comes after Mary has questioned God using her. She questioned and then accepted His purpose. We don't need to get so caught up in the questioning of God's will that we forget to be available for Him to use us. Mary was willing to play a much larger role in the Grand Story; a role she never dreamt she would see or play. Note: God's dreams for us are MUCH LARGER than any we could possibly dream up.
3. She stepped outside her comfort zone.  Once she accepted God's will in her life she took a huge step away from her comfort zone. There was NO way Mary would be blending in with "normal" society from that moment forward. She was noticeably different; fitting in was no longer an option. She had to withstand the societal criticism, the danger of being an unwed mother, and the rumors. She had been set apart for a greater purpose.  Note: When you step outside of a comfort zone, there will always be criticism. Get used to it if you want to be used.
4. She was a worshiper.  Check out Luke 1:46-55. The lady KNEW how to worship in her circumstances.  "And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,  for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant." 
5. She trusted God. Luke 1:45 ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”  Incredible words spoken by Elizabeth!! Mary believe that what God had promised to her, that He would perform. She was outside of her comfort zone actively trusting God with each step. Inspiring!
6. She was a miracle enabler. Check out John 2:1-12.  She had full confidence in the abilities of God. She saw an opportunity for a miracle and showed it to Him.She then stepped back and faithfully waited for Him to act. John 2: 3-5 "When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Woman,[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you."   When you see an divine opportunity do not sit back. Act. I wonder what would have happened if Mary hadn't stepped up and enabled the miracle? Probably nothing.  Jesus reacts to faith; He can't help himself.
7. She was an environment creator. This lady knew how to create an environment where she could reach God. Need proof? In Acts it talks about how when Peter was arrested she opened her home to the believers and they gathered to pray. When they began to pray things began to happen. Peter was taken out of jail by angels without being noticed by the jailers. 12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”

A few posts ago I talked about how I needed to "pull a Mary move" and hold dreams & thoughts in my heart, but after reading and studying about her life I have realized I need to begin "applying Mary" to my life. Imagine what could/would happen if I began to apply this list of traits to my life??  ....wow....

Okay, enough with the imagination, it's time to start actually applying.

Folks, I'm breaking out the Mary moves.

Proverbs 2

Accept. Store. Apply.

Accept: His Word. His guidence. His plans.
Store: His commands. His promises. His teachings.
Apply: His wisdom. His knowledge. His understanding.
It's always a process of seeking out & accepting His truths, storing them in your heart, and then applying them to your daily life. Accept. Store. Apply.

1 My son, if you accept my words

and store up my commands within you,

2 turning your ear to wisdom

and applying your heart to understanding—

3 indeed, if you call out for insight

and cry aloud for understanding,

4 and if you look for it as for silver

and search for it as for hidden treasure,

5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD

and find the knowledge of God.

6 For the LORD gives wisdom;

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7 He holds success in store for the upright,

he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,

8 for he guards the course of the just

and protects the way of his faithful ones.

9 Then you will understand what is right and just

and fair—every good path.

10 For wisdom will enter your heart,

and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

11 Discretion will protect you,

and understanding will guard you.



April S.A. Picks

A few things from one of my favorite online stores, Shabby Apple. Love this store! It can be pricy but it's worth every penny to me! Heads-up, you may be seeing me in the Calendonia soon,...

 




Caledonia from Shabby Apple

 




Kanani





Ribbon Falls from Shabby Apple





Freshwater Pearl



My GO List

It's spring and with spring comes that desire for travel or at least I desire to travel. I like getting in the car and roadtrippin' to new places. I like visiting little sleepy towns in the middle of nowhere. I like go to big cities and feel the deep energy coming off the streets. I like quiet places. I like loud places. I just like travel.

So this is my collection of places I'd like to GO before the end of my days. 

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”

My GO List  Top 5:

1. Skiing in Colorado. I 've been to Colorado and enjoyed my time spent there however I've never went skiing there. While I am a bit of a klutz and have little to none athletic ability, I would still like to envision myself artfully dipping and gliding over the white snowy mountains. :) I do realize the artful ability may be a near impossibility, but I'd still like to try.
2. New York City. "concrete jungle where dreams are made of...These streets will make you feel brand new. Big lights will inspire you. Let's hear it for New York,..."  I have never been to this great urban city and I would absolutely love to visit it for at least a week. So many things to see and places to visit there. The Lady herself, Central Park, Times Square, Chinatown, the Knicks, aYankee's Game, Ellis Island, the Rockefellar Center, museums, restaurants, ...etc. Sheesh! I might need to stay longer than two weeks!
3. England. I love history and this country is FULL of it! I feel that I would need to tour the entire country not just settle for one city. I'd love to visit the place that helped give birth to the American Spirit.  I want to walk down the streets that Shakespeare, Florence Nightingale,Churchhill, C.S. Lewis, , Francis Drake, John Locke, and Jane Austen walked down. I want to feel that English stubbornness that morphed into determination for something more for all people. This nation started radical movements that would shape the entire world into what it is today.
4. Prince Edward Island. Why? Because I heart Anne of Green Gables. I want to visit the place spoken about in the books and seen in the movies. I want to ride in a carriage down a lane of flowering trees. I want to walk down the shoreline. I want to play Anne for a few days. I want hope in a simpler, quieter life where boys walk girls home. I want to believe in Gilbert Blythes and silly nonsense.
5. Africa. I want to go and see elephants, tigers, and giraffes. I want to see the vivid colors and the strong people. I want to go and be reminded that there is more to life than my petty material things. I'd like to take books and learning materials to the children there.  I also wouldn't mind bringing home a child and give them a home. I want to go there and make a difference.

Dream Home

When looking at homes to place in my mental "Dream House" file (yes, call me crazy but I have a mental file) I always imagine what it would look like at Christmas. The lights dripping from the roof, the wreath on the door, the garland on the porch, kids playing in the yard, my man watching them from the front step and me with a camera trying to capture each moment.

 



(LOVE this house!)

Dream House Wish List:

• I want a large backyard with room for the kids to run and play. I want a beautiful, functional backyard where I can have birthday parties, yard parties and relax after a long work day.
•  I want a warm inviting house where anyone feels comfortable and at home. Complete with rugs. It's starting to become my philosophy that rugs make a house. Love them!
•  I want a large kitchen which may sound strange to those who know me AND my inability to cook. But I will learn! Growing up in my house taught me that family life happens in the kitchen. Even if food isn't being prepared, the family just seems to gravitate to that one room. Many laughs and serious conversations have happened there. And that's what I want in my home.
• I want more than two bathrooms. Growing up in a family of five where most of our lives we shared two baths, I've learned that a lot of stress can be avoided in life if you have more bathrooms. Especially having a family that consists of mainly females.
• I want a large living room with a roaring fireplace. I want the focal point of the room to be the the people in the room, not the tv. I like watching tv. It's great to snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie. Love that. But a living room is about the people in it. Not the tv. That's why its called the LIVING room.

• I want a front porch. I like patios and back porches, they're great! But call me old fashion but there's just something magical about sitting on your front porch. 

I realize that all the previously mentioned things don't make a house a home. The people and the love in the house make it a home. I know the difference between wishes and needs. But sometimes a girl likes to dream a bit... and who knows? Maybe one day I'll wish on the right star and you will read a post about my dream house come true.



In the Meantime I'm learning to walk...

I am a huge fan of Boundless. If you are a college/career aged person I strongly challenge you to visit. It's full of encouraging advice no matter where you find yourself.

Today I was reading Boundless and ran across an article that jumped out at me. As I read through Carolyn MacInnes' article on In the Meantime:What to Do While Waiting on God I realized that I needed to apply some of her guidlines to my life.

She spoke about being in that Meantime place when waiting on God to answer your needs & desires. How you should act in "the Meantime."  These are a few of the guidlines I will be putting into place in my life from now on.

• Get to know God. Obviously, I need to always be seeking HIM out. Seeking out HIS thoughts, HIS purpose, HIS design, HIS heart... This should be my first & foremost plan for each day of my life.
• Build a community. Community: those with whom I surround myself. Family and friends. My community is those who are with me no matter what. They don't walk out with things get tough. They are there for me, they counsel me, they build me up, and they simply love me. Community is essential.
• Do what you love. Do what I love. Wow. This is a hard one. I love to do many things. I love meeting new people, I love working with people, I love making a difference, I love photography...etc. The list goes on & on. I am going to have to start eliminating those negative things I don't love in my life. Things that bog me down. Not the essential things, just the little foxes I let into my life. Adios foxes!
• Discover something new. Something new. Finding something new about myself. Example: I have always wanted to paint. I need to discover it & start working towards it.
• Help others. Carolynn McInnes made a fantastic point. She mentioned how we need to step beyond outselves & reach out to others in need. When we get caught up in helping others our own problems become so minor in comparision.
• Buy dishes. This one made me smile. She was using the example about how she wouldn't let her self buy nice dishes because that was for her someday, her hope chest. We get this mindset that we can't treat ourselves to good things now because we need to save it all up for that someday dream. Me? I'm going to buy  some "nice dishes."
• Be reasonable. We need to be reasonable while waiting on God. Be reasonable in your choices, in your actions, and in your thoughts. Don't get caught up in this fantasy Someday that you have built up in your mind. Be reasonable. See things for what they are and what they can become.
• Don't compromise. Wow. Above all else, don't compromise what you believe or who you are. You will always regret it. Stand strong for your beliefs whether they be personal standards or God-given. Stand strong.

I'm going to start putting these steps into place in my life. I can't sit stagnant in my Meantime; stagnant water leads to a foul mess.  I must be like the words of the prophet Isaiah. I must learn to "walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:27-31

27 Why do you complain, Jacob?

Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD;

my cause is disregarded by my God”? 28 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

The List and Joe Boxers

A friend of mine asked me today what do I need in my future mate. It was a thought provoking question.

As I started to answer I realized how much my priorities had changed in the past years.

Every girl in the world, I don't care what they may tell you, 

has a mental List she uses when evaluating males for her potential husband.

When I was twelve years of age my List had two items:

  1) he must wear boxers, preferably JoeBoxers.

2) he must have a deep voice that "thrills me."

Obviously I had high aspirations as a twelve year old.

Then as I got older The List changed up a bit.

Words like provider, wealthy, good dresser, and educated, started to appear on The List.

Finally a couple of years ago my List began to see finally see maturity in it's "musts" for a future mate.

 If you read it you would see caregiver, provider, lover of God, want kids and be willing to adopt.

All of these "wants" were very important.

But  today when my friend asked me what do I need, it put a different spin on The List. 

Not what do I want but what do I need.

And this was my response: 

I need to know that I can completely trust him. I need to know that he will be open with me about his thoughts, emotions & actions.

I need to be able to trust him with my heart, mind, and soul; with my dreams, desires, & hopes.

 I need someone on whom I can lean when I feel like I can’t go on in life.

 I need a supporter of dreams, no matter how wild.

I need a truth-speaker. I need a provider. 

I need to know he is kind, gentle and the man in God I need him to be.

He doesn’t have to be wildly handsome or overly romantic, just someone on whom I can depend.

I don’t need perfection but I do need the above things.

Sure, I want other attributes like a wealthy, smiling boxers and a body Matthew McCaughney would dream of having but do I need those attributes? No.

My List can just be things I need not things I want.